Contact of electrical-switch gears



R. S. ONEIL,

CONTACT OF ELECTRICAL SWITCH GEARS. APPLICATION man JAN.24,1920.

1 ,351,963. Patented Sept. 7, 1920 2.5 22 j: z k/4 l7 /Z l5 5 x 4f I- "32 l 6 2/ 5 5 m UNITED STATES BODOLPH STUART ONEIL, OF LONDON, ENGLAND,ASSIGNOR TO ONEILS RECORDER PATENT OFFICE.

SYDICATE LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 7, 1920.

Application filed January 24, 1920. Serial No. 353,764.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RonoLPH STUART ONEIL, a subject of the King of GreatBritain, residing at London, England, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in and Connected with the Contacts ofElectricaLSwitch Gears, of which the following is a specification.

In electrical switch gear, it is in many instances necessary ordesirable to locate a contact in a particular position relatively tosome other member of the switch mechanism, or where a plurality ofcontacts are employed to be able with convenience to change or vary theorder of the contacts and their relative distances apart, and it isparicularly desirable that such changes can be easily and quickly made,while at the same time utilizing a construction which is simple andcheap to manufacture.

The object therefore of the present iiivention is to attain thesedesired ends, and the invention deals with a switch device in whichcertain of the members hereafter described are of circular formation.

The invention primarily consists in constructing each contact member sothat it is adapted to be clamped between a pair of rings which are inopposed relation to each other, and whereby, prior to the clampingtogether of the rings, the contacts can be adjusted in position incircumferential directions around the said rings, and the rings can thenagain be clamped together to retain the contact members in position.

Dealing more specifically with the construction of the invention, eachcontact member is located in a carrying block, and the blocks arelocated between the opposed supporting rings, the facing surfaces ofwhich are shaped to form guides to retain the blocks in position duringtheir adjustment in circumferential directions, as for example theopposed faces of the supporting rings may be V-shaped,'in which case theupper and lower faces of the blocks would be correspondingly V-shaped.

In carrying out the invention the contact members or brushes proper arepassed freely through apertures in the blocks, and the said brushes aremaintained in an engaging position with say a revoluble member locatedwithin the clamping rings and movable about a pivot coaxial with therings, the contact brushes being maintained in frictional contact withthe inner member by means of springs acting on the outer ends of thecontact members, or by spring-actuated levers or the like actingthereon.

In such an arrangement the contact carrying blocks are convenientlyinsulated from the clamping rings, and the electric current passesthrough the inner revoluble member from which the current passes to thecon- 7 tact brushes as the said inner member is revolved.

The invention will be further described with reference to theaccompanying draw ings, whereon Figure 1 is a central vertical section,and Fig. 2 is a plan View, of a switch constructed according to thisinvention, the plan view at Fig. 2 having the cover removed. Fig. 3 is adetail view 011 a larger scale in vertical section showing one of thecontact brushes and its carrying block.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, each contact brush 1 passes witha sliding fit through a carrying block 2, the upper and lower surfacesof the block 2 in the construction now being described being V- shaped.The carrying blocks 2, a plurality of which are fitted in theconstruction shown, are located between a lower ring 3, which may beformed if so desired integral with the base 4 of the case, and an upperring 5, the facing surfaces of the rings 3 and 5 being shaped to conformwith the blocks 2.

The blocks 2 having been placed in the desired relative positionsbetween the rings 3 and 5, spacing pieces 6 are placed in re" quiredpositions between the rings 3 and 5,

and the upper-ring 5 is clamped down upon the lower ring 3 by clampingscrews 7, Fig. 2.

The carrying blocks 2 are insulated from the rings 3 and 5 by strips orplates 8 of insulating material, such as mica. It will now be understoodthat by releasing the upper ring 5 the carrying blocks 2 can be arrangedat any required distance apart circumferentially between the rings, andthe upper ring can then be clampedagain iniposition.

In the switch illustrated a revoluble member is located within theclamping rings 8 and 5 and is mounted upon a, revoluble spindle 9, therevoluble member comprising a flanged outer ring 10' connected by arms11 to a hub 12, which hub is clamped between upper and lower disks 13,-which latter are keyed upon the spindle 9, insulating material 1st beinginserted between the hub 12 and the disks 13.

The flanged ring 10 of the revoluble member carries a conducting ring15, shown in dotted lines at Fig. 2, having a tongue 1-6 (or a pluralityof tongues) extending to the periphery of the flange of the ring 10, thetongue 16 being in the plane of the contact brushes 1 and in electricalcontact with the ring 10.

The ring 10 also carries an electrically conducting ring 17 which is inelectrical contact with the ring 10, and 18 represents insulatingdistancing materiah the ring 17, the ring 15 and the insulating materialbeing all clamped to the flange of the ring 10 by bolts as shown.

At one part around the circumference of the upper ring 5 a blockis fixedto thesaid upper ring, through which block is fitted a freely slidingbrush 19, the block being insulated from the upper ring 5, and the brush19 is held in contact with the electrically conducting ring 1'? by meansof a spring actuated lever 20, an electrical conductor 21 supplyingcurrent to the brush 19 through the block in which the brush slides.

It is essential in such a construction as now described, that thecontact brushes 1 should be maintained in pressure contact with theperiphery of the revoluble member, that is to say with the periphery ofthe insulating material 18 and the end oi the tongue 16, and anysuitable means may be employed to this end, that iseach block might befitted with a spring-actuated lever, such as 20, to act on the end ofthe contact brush 1 carried by the block, but in the example shown inthe drawing the block 2 is formed with an extended sleeve 2* having aclosure cap as shown at F 3, and a spring within the sleeve acting;between the cap and the end of the brush 1. The cap may form a means bywhich a flexible electric conductor can be connected to the sleeve 2*,and the contact brush 1 is always maintained with its end pressedagainst the periphery of the revoluble member, while at the same time itcan be adjusted when de sired, as regards position, between the upperand lower clamping, rings 8.

The example of construction illustrates the device as inclosed in acircular case 22 and having a top cover 23 in which is formed thebearing for the upper end of the spindle 9.

in a suitable position within the apparatus is fitted a conductor ctributing plate 2 1, through which the electrical conductors which maypass into the apparatus through an aperture 25 in the cover 23, Fig. 1,may pass,the conductor 21 by which the current passes into the apparatuspassing through the aperture 26, Fig. 2, in the plate 2 1, while theflexible conductors from the brushes pass t irough the remainingapertures in the plate 24:.

The spindle 9 may be fitted with a lever 27 or any other suitable deviceby which revolution or angular adjustment be communicated to therevoluble member about the axis oi": the spindle 9.

With the construction described it will now be understood that thecurrent passes by the brush 19 to the flanged ring 10 and consequentlyto the conducting ring 15 which is in electrical contact therewith, andas the revoluble member receives motion about the axis of the spindle 9,current will be conveyed to one or other of the plurality of contactbrushes 1 as the tongue 16 of the ring 15 passes in contact with theends of the said brushes. It therefore the brushes are set at regulardistances apart for example, and the rcvoluble member receivesrevolution at a uniform speed, the current will pass through the contactbrushes in regular succession, all according to the ar rangement of thebrushes.

Incidentally this switch provides a cheap and convenient arrangement bywhich the contacts can be varied in relative position as required, andin which any arrangement 01. contacts can be built-up, and since therings and the blocks can be made in standard sizes, such may be made upfor stock and assembled in any desired manner ac cording torequirements.

hat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An electrical switch device; comprising in combination a pair ofclamping rings in opposed relation to each other, a plurality ofseparate electrical contact members located between said rings,insulated therefrom,'and adjustable in position in circumferentialdirections between said rings, and means for clamping, said ringstogether to retain said contact members in the positions in which theyhave been placed.

2. An electrical switch device; comprising in combination a pair ofclamping rings in opposed relation to each other, a plurality ofseparate electrical contact members located and adjustable in positionin oil cumterential direction between said rings and insulatedtherefrom, means for clamping said rings together to clamp said contactmembers in the positions in which they are placed, a central revolublespindle, a concentric revoluble member located within said clampingrings iixed to said spindle and insulated therefrom, means for supplyingelectric current to said revoluble memher, a tongue extending from saidrevoluble member and adapted to contact in succession with said separateelectrical contact members located between said clamping rings as saidrevoluble member is revolved, and an electric conduitor from each ofsaid electrical contact members located between said clamping rings toconvey the current therefrom to the points required.

3. An electrical switch device; comprisin; in combination a pair ofclamping rings in opposed relation to each other, a plurality ofseparate electrical contact members located and adjustable in positionin cir cumferential direction between said rings and insulatedtherefrom, means for clamping said rings together to clamp said contactmembers in the positions in which they are placed, a central revolublespindle, a concentric revoluble member lorated within said clampingringsfixed to said spindle and insulated therefrom, a contact brush carriedby one of said clamping rings and contacting with said revoluble memberto convey electric current thereto, means for connecting said brush witha source of electric current, a conducting ring carried by saidrevoluble member and in electrical contact then-with, a radial tongueextending from said conducting ring to the periphery of the revolublemember to contact in succession with said stationary brushes carried bysaid clamping rings as said revoluble member receives angular motionabout its axis, and an ele tric conductor from each of said electricalcontact members located between said clamping rings to convey thecurrent therefrom to the points required.

4. 'An electrical switch device; comprising, in combin n a pair ofclamping rings in opposed $151011 to each other, a plurality of separateelectrical contact members located and adjustable in position incircumferential direction between said rings and insulated therefrom,means for clamping said rings together to clamp said contact members inthe positions in which they are placed, a central revoluble spindle, aconcentric revoluble member located within said clamping rings fixed tosaid spindle and insulated th refrom, a contact brush carried by one o:said clamping rings and contacting with said revoluble member to conveyelectric curr nt thereto, means for connecting said brush with a sourceof electric current, a conducting ring carried by said revoluble memberand in electrical contact therewith, an external ring of insulatingmaterial carried by said revoluble member, a radial tongue extendingfrom said conducting ring to the periphery of said ring of insulatingmaterial to contact in succession with said stationary brushes carriedby said clamping rings as said revoluble member receives angular motionabout its axis, and an electric conductor from each of said electricalcontact members located between said clamping rings to convey thecurrent therefrom to the points required.

5. An electrical switch device; comprising in combination a pair ofclamping rings in opposed relation to each other, a plurality ofseparate carrying blot-ks located and adjustable in position incircumferential direction between said rings and insulated therefrom, aradial inwardly sliding contact brush carried by each of said carryingblocks, means for forcing each brush radially inward relatively to itscarrying block, means for clamping said clamping rings to- 'gether tohold said blocks in position, a

central revoluble spindle, a concentric revoluble member located withinsaid clampint rings fixed to said spindle and insulated therefrom, meansfor supplying electric current to said revoluble member, an insulatingring carried by said revoluble member, a tongue in electrical connectionwith said revoluble member extending to the periphery of said ring ofinsulating material and adapted to contact in succession with saidcontact brushes carried by said blocks between said clamping rings assaid revoluble member is revolved, and an electric conductor from eachof said carrying blocks located between said clamping rings to conveythe current therefrom to the points required 6. An electric switchdevice; comprising in combination a case, a clamping ring on the base ofsaid case within the interior thereof, a second clamping ring in opposedrelation to the first fixed clamping ring, a plurality of separateelectrical contact members located and adjustable in position incircumferential direction between said rings and insulated therefrom,means for clamping the rings together to hold said contact members inposition between them, bearings in the case concentric with saidclamping rings, a central revoluble spindle carried in said bearings, aconcentric revoluble member fixed to said spindle and insulated therefrom, a contact brush carried by one of said clamping rings andcontacting with said revoluble member to convey electric currentthereto, means for connecting said brush with a source of electriccurrent, a conducting ring carried by said revoluble member and inelectrical contact therewith, a radial tongue extending from saidconducting ring to the periphery of the revoluble member to contact insuccession with said stationary brushes carried by said clamping Intestimony whereof I have hereunto set rings as said revoluble memberreceives my hand in the presence of two Witnesses. angular mo tion aboutits axis, end an e lee- V RODOLP-H STUART UNEIL trle conducwr Irom eachof sald electrlcal eontac; members located between said Witnesses:

clamping rings to convey the current there- THOMAS V7. Realms,

frem to the points required. WV-ILLIAM A. MARSHALL.

